(October 28, 2009) -- Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will travel next week to the United Kingdom and Greece to spotlight the issue of climate change, just weeks before countries will gather in Copenhagen to try to reach agreement on a wide-ranging pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the effects of global warming.

Mr. Ban will deliver a keynote address next Tuesday at Windsor Castle, just outside London, to a gathering of religious leaders on the role that faiths can play in tackling the problems caused by climate change.   

The gathering, hosted by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, will hear from the religious leaders on their long-term plans to deal with climate change, according to information released by the United Nations today.   

Mr. Ban has called climate change “the defining issue of our era” and stressed the need for a successful outcome at the summit to be held in December in the Danish capital.   

While in London Mr. Ban will also meet UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown and attend an event at the headquarters of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to honour people who have taken part in efforts to suppress piracy off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden.   

The Secretary-General will then travel to Greece to help open the third Global Forum on Migration and Development, which is taking place in the capital, Athens.  

He will also address a special session of the Greek Parliament and meet with senior Government officials, including Prime Minister George Papandreou and President Karolos Papoulias. (Un news)